The author's development of a relationship with Borges was a joy to read. The author ended up having to host Borges for his mentor and friend, but ended up developing a friendship with the legendary writer. I like how the author wrote about the changes that happened to him as his relationship developed.

I am still thinking about and unpacking my reaction to this book. As a lover of Borges and the bildungsroman form, I was often charmed by shaggy dog road trip. It is a window to a certain kind of literary life that no longer seems to exist (see Frederic Tuten's wonderful "My Young Life."

However, as I read I became increasingly mistrustful of the many lengthy impossibly witty exchanges of dialogue presented verbatim. The more I read, the less I found myself believing it.

The problem here is that the author's explanatory note, where he reveals the extent the he relies on the tools of the novelist and addresses those long runs of dialogue, characterizing them as being more in the vein of autofiction than straight memoir, appears at the end of the book. I think the publisher should consider placing this note at the beginning, so that readers understand at the outset the liberties that have been taken, and can read the work on those terms.

Still, the book had me returning to my shelves to revisit the magic of Borges, which is ultimately what one wants.